But the new capability would mean the firm in future has no hard launching the biggest military and commercial telecommunications satellites - and still recover all three first-stage boosters. "Generated quite a thunderhead of steam". SpaceX later clarified that the Heavy will aim for an orbit around the sun that will, at times, put the auto the same distance from the sun as Mars.

Two of the three Heavy boosters have launched before. That honor belongs to the Saturn V, the NASA rocket that was used for the Apollo moon landings and was retired in 1973.

Musk has repeatedly downplayed expectations for the rocket's first flight, saying previous year, "There's a lot of risk associated with Falcon Heavy, a real good chance that that vehicle does not make it to orbit".

The three-booster heavy-lift rocket can carry payloads that weigh as much as a 737 jetliner, with fuel, passengers, crew and their luggage.